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A landmark in quizzing annals
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A record 916 teams participated in the Landmark Quiz — 2004
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Praveen Goday, Gopal Kidai and Rajiv Rai of Know Brainers — winners of the Landmark Quiz 2004 — Pic. by R. Ragu
THIS WAS one crowd that wasn't in the least bit disappointed that August 15 was a Sunday. Extra holiday in the middle of the week or not, to the nearly 3,000 people in the Music Academy, August 15 means it's time for a tradition that's almost as much part of Madras as filter kaapi. The Landmark Quiz 2004.
Into its eleventh year, this is one of the largest open quizzes in the country made up of three-member teams. These quizzers come in all sizes, from teams whose collective age would not cross 25, to teams with three generations of a family.
This year, even the Music Academy's annexe overflowed with keen quizzers seated on the floor, huddled over their answer sheets. Some decided to make a party of it, passing around peanuts and chips while they puzzled their way through the prelims. A couple of eager beavers in the annexe had even made Landmark Quiz posters, which they waved whenever they saw quizmaster Navin Jayakumar near them.
Wide ranging questions
The preliminary written round began a little after 3.30 p.m., with quizmaster Navin getting whistles and applause when he stepped on stage. But the hooting and cheering stopped the moment the first question was read out. The 40 questions in the prelims ranged from easy ones such as `Who composed the original "Pretty Woman" soundtrack', `Which architect designed DakshinaChitra' and `Which are the two stations in India that are connected by the rack and pinion system of railways' to harder ones such as `Which is the only country that figures in the NATO phonetic alphabet' and `What is aresology the study of ?'
As always at the Landmark Quiz, answer time got a little dangerous, with the audience almost falling off the balcony in their enthusiasm to get Navin's attention and win themselves gifts. "This is amazing... I've never seen this kind of passion for quizzing or any intellectual event," said Ben Colayco of Level-Up games, who has just come to Chennai from Thailand. "This is why you guys (Indians) are going to rule the world in the next five years."
"I've been waiting to see this for ten years," said Thomas Abraham, president, Penguin Group, India, who was at the quiz to release `The Penguin Landmark Quiz Book' by Navin Jayakumar and Gautam Padmanabhan. "This is one of the few quizzes left in the country. In Delhi we never see more than a hundred teams, even at inter-college quizzes," said Abraham. This time the quiz saw a record 916 teams. The eight that made it to the finals though were pretty much the usual suspects who are the finalists every year — QED, Intel inside, metal outside, Mad Cow Deceased, We are like this Wonly, Sonia yet so far, Know Brainers, Metaquizziks and Drained Brains.
The six rounds were the regular mix of audio, visual and straight questions. Things were a little different this year though, with the teams getting bowls of payasam halfway through the second round and being asked to name the chief ingredient. Tupperware dabbas also made an appearance, with the teams having to demonstrate how to close them to win two points.
Winning teams
The winners of this year's Landmark Quiz were Know Brainers — Praveen Goday, Rajiv Rai and Gopal Kidai. Runners-up: QED — Samanth, Ramanan and Swami. The best school team was P.S. Senior School while Chettinad Vidyashram was the runners up. TCS was the best corporate team and the best team name prize went to `Grey matter matters.'
If you missed the landmark event this time, you have a second chance. This year the Landmark Quiz moves to Bangalore, with the first quiz being held on November 1. Time to head to the library again.
Did you know?
*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is to be printed on paper from sustainable forests.
*The President of India and representatives from 121 countries poured soil of their countries at Auroville on January 28, 1968, when Auroville was established, to symbolise oneness.
*A dog slinks away with its tail between its legs to hide its identity because the tail covers the scent glands that give it its identity. The human equivalent is to hide your face.
*The huddle in football originated when deaf players formed a cluster to hide their hand signals from other teams.
*The RBI has served as central bank to Burma and Pakistan.
SHALINI UMACHANDRAN
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